Panic as fire guts Kuje Prison clinic

A clinic located inside the Kuje Prison yesterday evening was gutted by fire.

The incident, according to an eyewitness, threw everyone, including the prisoners, into confusion.

Investigations revealed that officers of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) on duty struggled with several fire extinguishers to put off the fire which lasted for 15 minutes.

The source could not confirm what caused the fire and the extent of property destroyed, but he said no life was lost.

Reacting to the incident, the NPS, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Command Public Relations Officer, Humphrey Chukwuedo, who confirmed the fire outbreak, told our correspondent through a telephone conversation that investigation was on to reveal the cause of the fire.

Chukwuedo said: “It actually occurred at about 4pm yesterday. Investigation is still on to ascertain the cause of the fire. But the fire has been put off. No life was lost and no property was destroyed.

“Our men were proactive to put off the fire. It will also interest you to know that no prisoner was on admission or receiving treatment at the time. We have locked up all prisoners and they were already in their cells.

“This was actually what happened. And normalcy has returned to the prison.”